Photo: Generic1139 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Donora is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Donora trails Pennsylvania on 18 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Donora. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Donora
Donora is in the bottom 4% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Donora is healthier than only 4% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and obesity run high in Donora
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.6%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 19 adults have had a stroke (5.3%), vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. Obesity is also above the state: 45.6%, vs 33.8% across Pennsylvania. In all, Donora runs above Pennsylvania on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Donora adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (33.3%), vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓
More Donora adults live with a disability
2 in 5 adults live with a disability (41.5%, vs 31.3% across Pennsylvania). The biggest difference is vision loss: 7.9% vs 5.1%. Disability ↓
Donora is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Donora is healthier than 4%. Against the 2,256 towns with similar household incomes ($30K–$49K), it’s healthier than 27%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Pennsylvania figure falls outside Donora’s likely range.
What’s behind Donora’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Donora is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns, #1,020 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All seven of Donora’s estimates fall in the lowest 15% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is smoking: 23.6% of adults, against 15.8% across Pennsylvania and 11.8% nationally.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Donora’s median household income is $39,544; among the 2,256 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($30K–$49K), it’s healthier than 27%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Donora adults…
Donora runs above PA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Donora adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Care in and near Donora
1 community health center in Donora, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Donora; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Donora adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Donora adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Donora runs above Pennsylvania.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Donora and the towns around it
Donora’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donora | D− | 45.6% | 15.1% | 23.6% | CDC place |
| Carroll Township | B− | 37.9% | 12.4% | 16.5% | ZIP codes |
| Rostraver Township | B− | 33.7% | 12.4% | 17.7% | ZIP codes |
| Webster | — | — | — | — |
Webster: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Donora
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Donora is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Donora’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Donora | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27%24.3–29.8 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16.2–20.2 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.2%18.3–22.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 45.6%38.8–53.2 | 33.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.1%13.1–17.2 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.4%38.4–46.7 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.5%31.2–39.7 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 38.9%35.1–43 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.6%11.1–14.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.8%8–9.8 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.7%8.7–10.7 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.6%10.4–12.8 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.3%4.9–5.7 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 24.3%20.2–29 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 23.6%20.9–26.5 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33.3%28.7–38.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%13.5–19.8 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.6%36.5–49.4 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.4%7.8–11.3 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.6%77.3–83.9 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54%50.2–57.9 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.8%79–84.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81%78–83.5 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.1%57.2–67.2 | 67.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.6%69.4–83.2 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.5%22–29.5 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.5%37.2–46.3 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21%18.8–23.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19%17.1–21.1 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.8%8.8–11 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.9%7.2–8.6 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.4%11.3–13.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.4%5.9–6.9 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Pennsylvania figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Donora
Is Donora a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Donora is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #1,020 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 27%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Donora?
CDC estimates 45.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.8% and 53.2%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Donora?
Penn Highlands Mon Valley in Monongahela, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Donora’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Donora have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–11.3%), against 5.8% across Pennsylvania.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Donora more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Donora.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Pennsylvania figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.